Matters of the Soul
by Anastasia Snape
Summary: AU Angels fell to the earth. Within a few years, the fallen angels have made major changes to modern medicine, introducing a new branch, e healing of souls has saved many lives, but there are still skeptics, among those are the Winchesters. Their baby brother gets sick & they're willing to try anything. Uncovering a murder, the angels & the Winchesters must work together. Destiel.
1. Prologue

A/N: Ok so this literally came to me in a dream and it was too good to pass up! I have a rather generic AU going on right now and I thought I'd like to try my hand at a completely different kind of AU. I hope you all enjoy!

Warnings: There will be slash in later chapters. Castiel/Dean, Sam/Gabriel

Prologue

The day the angels fell life on Earth changed. Only a small percentage of angels actually fell, but it was enough to open the eyes of humans everywhere. Many on Earth believed there was something out there besides themselves... of course, at first; many assumed the angels were aliens. But their leader, Michael, quickly erased all assumptions.

When it became evident that the angels would be unable to return to Heaven, the government stepped in. Much like with the Native Americans, they set up reservations for the angels. No one wanted trouble from the angels and it was obvious that they were much more than humans. The government stated that the reservations and housing was for their own well-being... of course, the angels knew differently. They knew the government wanted to keep tabs on them... not like they could.

Michael accepted the government's help graciously despite the discord it left with some of his brothers and sister... most specifically his brother, Lucifer. But they had all been cast out as a result of the war in Heaven, their powers were slowly dwindling and soon there wouldn't be much that would separate them from the human race. They would need to adapt.

For awhile, angels covered the news. Everyone wanted to know more, or wanted their help or a healing hand. When it became obvious that they were slowly losing power and wouldn't be able to perform widespread miracles, the public lost interest. Within a year, the angels had settled into a way of life, living among the humans.

A year and a half later, Michael had an epiphany. While visiting a local hospital to learn more about humans, he noticed the sad states of their souls. It was then he realized the reason for so many fatal diseases to humans. Serious illness caused the human to lose faith and hope, which caused deterioration of their souls. As their souls deteriorated, their bodies grew too weak to fight, even with the help of modern medicine. It also explained why people died from mental trauma or the loss of a loved one. Contrary to popular belief, the heart was not the core of human life… the soul was.

Michael presented his findings to the American Medical Association, and within a week, he was working with a willing cancer patient. Immediately, Michael was able to see the dark spots covering the man's soul. His faith was low but he was willing to try anything. It took Michael a couple of tries, but eventually, he was able to find a way to heal the soul through a series of treatments.

As an angel, his blood was pure, despite his time on Earth; his blood would always remain pure and maintain a small amount of grace. He created a serum with a basis of angel blood that would be administered over a period of a few weeks. He was then able to harvest a small amount of his grace to create a machine much like a radiation machine that shot waves of grace through the person's body and into their soul, healing the darkness. Luckily, grace was regenerative and that small bit was all they would ever need to run the machine.

Each person's treatment would vary based on the condition of their soul. Some could get away with just a few treatments of serum, others required weeks or months of treatment, paired with their regular medical treatment for the disease ailing them. It wasn't long before he'd begun to teach the other angels of his findings, and soon they were working a long side the human doctors.

It was then that he had the idea of their own facility. After working with the AMA, Michael was able to gain funding to build the facility near the reservation. Many of the angels would remain working with some of the sicker and bedridden patients at the larger cancer facilities that they'd been able to build machines for, but the best healers would remain at the new facility. Each would specialize in certain kind of soul healing, or as they were now calling it, soullogy.

Michael himself was the head of the entire facility and he generally worked with the patients suffering the most. More specifically, he focused on oncology. He then had had a handful of basic healers below him. Gabriel was the head of pediatric soullogy. He was fun and had a way with children. Under him was a group of healers he'd trained in pediatrics. Raphael was over neurological soullogy with a small group under him as well. Uriel was over geriatrics; Anna was over cardiologic and pulmonary; Naomi over vascular and endocrine system; Zachariah over gastro, hepatic and renal; and Castiel, the most empathetic of them all, was over psychiatric.

There was one problem… Lucifer. He'd been trying to sabotage the operation from the beginning. Of course, he'd loathed humans since their creation. Many believed he was the cause for war in Heaven, but no proof had yet to be found. He hated the thought of Michael and their brothers and sisters helping humans. He was happy to sit back and watch them suffer. He always reveled in their failure when they were unable to save someone. Some people were just too far gone, or their faith was too broken.

Lucifer had attempted to harm the others, or convince them to join his side. He'd even gone so far as to try and destroy the facility. After his last attempt, Michael had had enough. He was hoping they could move past this, that Lucifer would realize that Earth was their home now. But he hadn't, and Michael couldn't risk the lives of his brothers and sisters as well as the lives of the humans who needed their help.

He'd asked Lucifer to leave. With hatred smoldering in eyes, Lucifer had left the reservation. He'd promised that it wasn't the last they'd see of him, and Michael couldn't help the foreboding feeling that washed over him. He hoped he wouldn't come to regret his decision to banish his brother.

A/N: Well, here's the prologue folks! Let me know what you think!


	2. Chapter 1

A/N: Well, it seems I've got some of your attentions so here I am again. I hope this chapter will really reel you in. Sorry it took so long. I've started a new job and moved so it's taking me a little while to get into the groove of things. I hope you can all forgive me.

Chapter One

Dean looked to the sofa where his six-year-old brother, Adam was staring out the window. The kid was literally wasting away before his eyes. His mom had died a few months ago, and Dean and his brother, Sam were the kid's only living relatives. So of course, they took him in. He'd become a shadow of the kid he'd once been.

His own mother died when he was a kid just a little younger than Adam, and then their dad a little more than a year ago. Their dad had drug them around a lot after their mom's death, but then he'd met Kate a few years ago and settled down. They'd all been shocked when Adam had come a long, but his dad was happy and Dean and Sam welcomed their new little brother. Adam had always been a loud and rambunctious child... but not anymore. He barely ate, barely slept, didn't talk, didn't play... hell the kid didn't even watch TV. He just stared off into space.

Sitting on the end of sofa, Dean swatted Adam's foot like he'd always done. "Hey, how was school?" Adam only shrugged. "You didn't get anymore letters, did you?" The week before, the teacher had sent home a letter stating that Adam's performance in class had been slipping, and that they should possible consider getting him help.

Adam sighed and drug himself up from the cushions, acting as if the very movement was too much for him. He dug in his backpack for a moment before producing an envelope. He then held it out to his older brother.

Dean's brow rose as he took the letter. "So you were just going to hide it in your backpack unless I asked for it?" Again, Adam shrugged. Dean just shook his head as he opened the letter.

Mr. Winchester,

I contacted you last week about the decline in Adam's performance in class, and I wanted to give you a follow up.

Not only are Adam's grades slipping, but he's no longer social with the other children. He's withdrawn, he doesn't talk, and he barely eats. It's obvious that he's still grieving the loss of his mother, and it is affecting his mental and physical health. It is my professional opinion that you seek help for the child.

I highly recommend the Soul Hospital at the angel reservation just outside of Bennett, Colorado near Denver. Soullogy is really making leaps and bounds in the medical world, and I believe the angels could provide Adam the best help he needs.

If you decide to take him to the Soul Hospital, just let the school know and we will excuse him for the day of his consultation as well as the days for his follow-up sessions.

The Soul Hospital helped me overcome the tragedy of my husband's death, and helped my sister overcome her deadly cancer. As someone who has truly experienced the miracle of soul healing, I urge you to take Adam.

Sincerely,

Lisa Braeden

As he finished the letter, Dean rolled his eyes. Of course Lisa was big into "soul healing," she'd always been into weird crap like that. When they'd moved in with Kate in Gleneagle, Colorado, he'd been a senior in high school and Lisa had been on the welcoming committee. They'd dated for awhile, but in the end they were just too different.

Lisa had gone off to get an English degree from Princeton while he'd stayed in Colorado and had gone to auto mechanic school. Lisa had gotten married and had a kid, but then her husband had died overseas and her happily ever after came crashing. She'd come back to Gleneagle and had started teaching. Her son, Ben was good friends with Adam and Lisa was currently their teacher, so of course she was worried about the kid's health.

Angels had fallen to Earth a few years ago and Dean thought all this "soul healing" crap was just that… crap. He'd never been religious or even really believed in God. If there was a "God", then why had he let his mother be killed in a fire, why did Adam's mom have to die? Why did good people have to die in such terrible ways? But then the angels fell and he had his proof that God did exist. However, that just made his opinion of God drop even lower. How could he let all the crap that went on on Earth happen?

Dean looked to where the six-year-old stared blankly into the living room. They'd been to doctors, psychiatrists and counselors. No one had been able to help him. Maybe it was time they took a different approach. He still wasn't sure that the angels and their "soul healing" was the right path, but they had to find some way to save Adam before he just withered away before their eyes.

Folding the letter and tossing it to the side, Dean pulled the boy from his curled up position at the end of the sofa onto his lap. Adam didn't even try to fight. "Hey, Buddy, Sammy and I are worried about you, ya know?" Adam looked down into his lap. "We just wanna see our little brother smiling and having fun again." The boy looked like he might cry. "What can I do to help you?"

Adam shrugged and sniffled. "I don't know, Dean. I just miss, Mommy."

Wrapping his arms around his little brother, Dean held him tight. "I know, Buddy. And if I could bring her back for you, I would."

The two stayed on the sofa until Sam walked in. One look at his brothers, and he knew that Adam had had a rough day. Dean looked up at Sam and shook his head. The younger Winchester let out a sigh as he sat his school bag on the table.

Dean pulled back from the hug and looked down at the young boy. His eyes were wet with tears and the same solemn expression had settled over his face. Dean couldn't fight the sigh that escaped him. "Adam, can you go watch TV in your room for a bit while me and Sam talk?"

Adam looked at his older brother skeptically. "Are you gonna talk about me?"

Laughing slightly, Dean shooed the boy down the hall. "Just go. I'll call you when supper is ready." When Adam had disappeared into his bedroom, Dean turned to find Sam looking over the letter from Lisa. "Well, what do you think?"

"I think Lisa has a point, Dean. We've tried everything else. Adam needs help... And maybe the angels can provide that help. We won't know unless we try." Sam replied, as he sat down next to Dean.

Dean sighed. "I was afraid that you were going to say that." Running a hand over his face, Dean let out a frustrated sound. "I'll give them a call tomorrow."

The two eldest Winchester brothers just wanted to see their younger sibling happy again. If it meant buying into that bull crap "soul healing" then Dean would grin and bear it. No kid should have to lose both their parents within the space of a couple years. No kid should have to have seen what Adam had seen… And if the soul healing could make him forget that and move past it, then Dean would gladly give the angels all the money he'd ever earned. As long he'd get to see the playful and child that had once been his kid brother, then he'd do anything… even if it meant selling his soul.

A/N: I felt this was a good place to end this chapter. It'll probably be the weekend before I get anything else posted but we'll see. I would also like to add that since John married Adam's mother in this fic, Adam's last name is Winchester. Please let me know what you think!


	3. Chapter 2

A/N: Thanks to everyone who has read and shown some interest in this fic. I hope I live up to your expectations! Hope you all enjoy this chapter!

Chapter Two

Castiel sat with his brother, Gabriel in Michael's office. Michael had called them in to discuss the new case they were taking on. The young boy, only six-years-old, has lost his mother in a tragic incident. The police had ruled it an accident but apparently, the boy's older brothers didn't share the same opinion. They thought maybe it had to do with their brother's condition.

It was a touchy situation… The boy was only six years of age, so obviously, Gabriel was the first choice. However, Michael explained that the boy show signs of posttraumatic stress disorder. His oldest brother and legal guardian explained that it had been close to six months since the boy's mother had passed, and he hadn't shown any signs of improvement but actually just seemed to get worse. He also explained that their father had passed only a little over a year ago. The loss of both parents could be severely traumatic to a child… especially if the child witnessed the parent's death.

After hearing the briefing, the three sat in thought. Gabriel looked up from his steepled fingers. "I think it would be best if I talked with him first. Get a feel for how responsive he is, and take a look at his soul. If I find that his condition is worse than what I can handle, or would be better dealt by Cas, then I'll bring him to you." Castiel's face was crinkled in thought, earning a chuckle from his brother. "Cassie, I'm not trying step on your toes, you just tend to be a little stand-offish to children."

"I am perfectly capable of speaking with children, Gabriel." The younger angel's deep voice was tinged with annoyance.

Shock rippled through him when not only Gabriel, but also Michael laughed. "Castiel, you view the children through a strictly professional and medical eye." Michael attempted to explain.

This only confused the young angel farther. "Well, we are medical professionals."

Gabriel sighed. "Not what we mean, Cas. You can't treat a child with the same cool, professionalism as you would an adult. It intimidates and scares them… makes them clam up. I get down on their level… we might play a game, draw, color or talk about the family dog. I get them to open up to me, and they're soul is more open to healing. You know just as well as the rest of us, that a closed off soul means lower possibility for healing."

Castiel nodded. "Yes, I understand, but there is also the fact that this child has seen some traumatic, and may need counseling along with healing. You don't handle touchy situations very well." Castiel used air quote to emphasis the word "touchy."

"You think I don't know that? That's what I'm saying, if it gets to where I can't handle it, I'll bring him to you."

Sensing an argument between his brothers, Michael stepped in. "I think this sounds like a good plan… We won't know enough about this child until he's here. His eldest brother his severely skeptical of our work and thus, he wasn't very forthcoming with information. We should be prepared for anything. I have faith in the both of you to provide this child with the help he needs."

Both angels nodded at the instructions from their eldest sibling and leader. While they had come to learn freewill, Michael was still the leader of their institute and they all looked to him for guidance and orders when it came to their patients. He was also their eldest brother, so there were times they came to him for advice in their everyday lives. Even after years of being on Earth, many were still adjusting to the human way of life.

As the two angels left their brother's office, neither knew that their newest patient would bring a lot of changes to their lives, or that he'd reveal secrets from their own family.

SPNSPNSPNSPNSPNSPNSPNSPNSPNSPNSPNSPN

The three Winchesters stood in front of the towering glass and steel building and looked up with trepidation. It was said that angels were once pure light, so it made sense that they would want to be in a building that let in as much light as possible. Dean personally thought the building was an architectural monstrosity. Adam clutched tightly at his and Sam's hands. They'd explained to him why they were there, and he'd clammed up even more. He hadn't spoken a word to them the entire drive there.

"Alright, let's get this over with." Dean grumbled, tugging his little brother's hand, leading the way inside. He noticed the front desk, and then two doors leading to bathrooms. Apparently the trauma of losing his mother had caused Adam to have a nervous bladder. "You need to pee?" Adam shook his head no. "Ok, let's check in then." He looked up to find Sam giving him a bitch face. "What?"

"Could you be anymore crude?"

"I said pee, didn't I? Could've been a lot worse. Besides, I'd rather check now instead of finding out later."

Sam only sighed and stepped up to the desk. "We have an appointment for Adam Winchester. I believe he's here to see Gabriel."

The woman, he wasn't sure if she was an angel or human, barely looked up at them before typing furiously on here computer. "Ah yes, I have him right here. Adam Winchester, six-years-old, guardians are brothers, Dean and Sam Winchester. Appointment with Gabriel in pediatrics with possible follow-up with Castiel in psychiatrics." She looked up to Sam. "And you are?"

Dean would have chuckled at his brother's caught-in-the-headlights look, if he wasn't very nervous about this appointment. After hearing all that information, it was suddenly very real. Sam stuttered to find the right words. "I-uh- I'm Sam, these are my brothers, Dean and Adam."

Hael ('Yep, definitely angel.' Dean thought as he read her name plate) gave them a tight smile. "I'll lead you to Gabriel's office. He's probably waiting for you… Or playing with his toys." The last part was muttered under her breath as she rolled her eyes.

The two elder Winchesters shared a questioning look before shrugging and following the grouchy angel. And to think, Dean had thought she was kind of hot. She led them to the elevator, and then stopped. "Gabriel's on the fifth floor, first door on the right. It has a giant rainbow on it… You can't miss it." And with those words, she turned and walked away.

They rode the elevator in silence. When they reached the right floor, Gabriel's office was immediately noticeable. Just as Hael had said, it was covered in a large rainbow. Joining the rainbow were various drawings done by children. Dean tried to tell himself that this was a good sign, but it was hard for him not to be skeptical. There hadn't been in signs of angels before they fail to Earth in his experience, then they're cast out of Heaven and suddenly, they want to help all the sick and downtrodden humans. He didn't buy it.

The door swung open to reveal a short man smiling like a lunatic. Surely, the guy didn't think he looked welcoming. Dean was half-tempted to turn tail right then and there. Adam's eyes had widened when the man appeared from behind his door and had immediately hidden himself behind Dean.

The angel's smile fell slightly. He then knelt down to Adam's level. "Hey there, buddy, I didn't mean to scare ya!" Dean looked down to find Adam glaring at Gabriel from behind his leg. "Aw, come on now, don't be like that! I just want to talk you. If you don't want to talk, I have some paper and crayons, we could draw." This seemed to bring out a little intrigue from six-year-old. "I have puzzles… or games." The angel looked at him with a scrutinizing gaze. "Operation! I have Operation! You look like a kid that would enjoy a good game of Operation."

Adam's interest peaked at the mention of the game, and he stepped out from behind his brother. Gabriel smiled up at the two men before standing and holding his hand. "Looks like we've got a future doctor on our hands here." After a moment's hesitation, Adam placed his hand in Gabriel's. "Now, I'm gonna need your brothers to stay out here. Is that okay?" Adam thought for a moment before nodding. Gabriel smiled at them again. "You boys take a seat over there. We'll come get you when we're ready."

As the door closed, Dean stared in shock. "I'll be damned." He muttered as he took a seat. He wasn't saying that this crap was real, but it was the first time in a long time Dean had seen Adam open up to anyone, even just a little. Dean wasn't convinced it was healing… but there was definitely some kind of mojo going on. And he still wasn't convinced that was a good thing.

A/N: Well, Dean is still a little skeptical. But hey, he's Dean, what can ya expect? Next chapter, they meet Castiel! Please let me know what you think! Feedback makes for a motivated writer! :D


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